When Waters Blaze
by Syrcia
Summary: It wasn't the right reason, but it was a reason. She wanted to see what was beyond her arctic world, and now she could see the brilliant flames that lay beyond the reaches of ice and snow. Falling swiftly, she could only hope someone would be there to catch her and set her world on fire. Maybe, just this once, water could be set ablaze.
1. Chapter 1

**Hey Readers! I still don't own anything besides my OC's and I'm totally cool with that. This is a redo of the first chapter since it was a train wreck waiting to happen. Anyway, onto the story! **

**PLEASE TRY AND MAKE IT PAST THIS CHAPTER. **

* * *

Kiora waited for what seemed like forever, the forever that started the moment she slipped into her bed almost four hours ago. The soul-sucking darkness of the shadows unnerved her but she wasn't scared of the dark, just of what could be lurking in its midst. Her eyes flicked towards the door as she saw the lights go out. Then, she heard the sound of footsteps resounded in the hallway as her parents headed off to their room.

Suddenly, Kiora saw a shadow appear, and she sucked in her breath. The shadow seemed to thread its way into the shaft of light that peeked through the space beneath her door. Her heart stopped suddenly as the shadow didn't waver, didn't disappear. She could hear the doorknob jostle from across the room. Quickly slowing her breathing, she closed her eyes and relaxed her muscles. The door creaked as her father opened the door, peering into the dark void. His soft, relieved sigh sounded out in the room. After a moment he left, and Kiora released a breath she didn't even realize she was holding in.

When she was finally sure that no one was awake, she slipped out of the bed and down to the floor. Grabbing her boots, she snaked out her door and down the hall. Suddenly, she heard the soft rustling of sheets. A wave of guilt swept over her at the moment she realized it was coming from her parents room. Tomorrow they would wake up to find their daughter missing. She paused, the silence deafening as the sound of her parent's movement faded away. Eyes falling to the floor, Kaira swallowed hard and continued forward into the main room, keeping in the shadows. The sound of her heartbeat grew steadily louder as she drew closer to the door.

Kiora stopped in front of the door, hesitating. Her hands were shaking. Taking a deep breath she reached out slowly and pulled the door open slightly, the wind moaning softly through the opening. She looked down for a moment and hurried outside, easing the door closed behind her. Her heart slammed hard against her ribs when the door hit the door frame, a soft thud ringing out in the darkness. Stopping briefly, she waited. Silence fell heavily on her ears and she breathed a sigh of relief and began walking away from her house. Snow crunched beneath her feet as she slipped between the buildings. It had been almost too easy to sneak out of her house. It didn't matter though, it just had to be tonight. She had to leave tonight. Varrick had promised her passage to Republic City, but he was only holding out until the moon was at its peak.

Her eyes darted around, searching for any sign of life. No one appeared, and a slight feeling of unease rippled up and down Kaira's spine. Stepping into the shimmering light within the stable, she caught sight of her best friend, Faolan. She smiled as she ran towards Faolan, throwing her arms around the raynder horse's neck. Faolan was the only one of his kind that anyone had ever seen this close, and he belonged to her. She smiled warmly at him and grabbed his saddle, throwing it atop his broad back. Strapping it in place, she stepped back and reached for the bridle. Throwing over his antlers, she secured it with a clip on one side of his face and stretched the reins out to their full length. Then, sinking to her knees, Kiora brushed back the mound of straw hiding her pack. To her horror, she found that it wasn't even there. Faolan suddenly whinnied softly, looking out past her towards the door.

"You were going to leave without saying goodbye?" Tears formed in her eyes as she turned to Katara. Smiling sadly at the older woman, she hugged her.

"I have to get out of here, you know that." Katara smiled and shook her head.

"And there's nothing I can say to change your mind?" Kaira shook her head slowly. "Well then, I guess there's no stopping you." Kiora laughed quietly and threw herself at Katara.

"Thank you, Katara," she whispered softly.

Katara looked at her for a moment and reached behind her back, pulling out a small bundle. She smiled sadly at Kiora. "Don't thank me yet. You still have to catch up with Varrick."

"He's left already," Kiora cried out before her voice fell, taking to muttering curses under her breath.

Katara stepped forward, watching silently as Kaira leapt onto Faolan's back. Silver tears pooled in the corners of her eyes as she handed Kiora the bundle. Staring at the bundle, Kiora slowly pulled back the one layer. Her jaw almost dropped at the sight of her missing travel pack. Her eyes glistened slightly as her eyes flicked over to Katara's face. The older woman moved back slowly, still maintaining that soft, sad smile.

"Be safe, Kiora," she whispered hoarsely.

Kiora nodded quickly, not trusting her voice.

"Let's go," Kiora whispered hoarsely, her knuckles whitening as she gripped Faolan's reins.

Faolan lurched forward, speeding off into the endless night. Kiora turned quickly and waved back at Katara as she faded into the distance. When she finally lost sight of her mentor's figure, she glanced back at the way ahead of her. Now, with only the stars above and Faolan, she set off in pursuit of Varrick.

* * *

**Ok, so for those of you who want to know about Faolan's reins, it's a band that comes up behind his head. It has a brow band, a crown piece, and a throat latch, and the actual reins attach to the intersecting point between the three pieces. I'm basically using only a certain portion of a bridle.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Ok, I don't own anything besides my OC's. Hopefully I've made it pretty obvious that this is a redo of this chapter.**

Winds swirled around her as Faolan continued to pick up speed. Faolan's cloven hooves scraped noisily against the ice as they neared the edge of the ice shelf. Pulling him to a stop, Kiora squinted, her eyes barely making out the soft glow of Varrick's ship. He was leaving her behind, not even bothering to wait until midnight, but that was Varrick. To say that she was irritated with the man was putting it lightly. She squeezed her fists tightly around the reins, ensnaring some of Faolan's fur. Faolan snorted loudly and jerked his head back, the tip of his antlers connecting with Kiora's skull.

"Ow," said Kiora, rubbing her forehead. "Sorry boy." She looked around for a moment, taking in her surroundings. A small spark lit behind her eyes. Smiling widely, she leapt off Faolan's back. "Lie down, Faolan." The reynder horse snorted sharply giving her a look. "Look just trust me. I know exactly what I'm doing." With that Faolan let out a heavy breath and settled down on the ice.

Kiora smiled, taking a deep breath. Moving slowly, she started to concentrate on pulling the ice apart. Beneath her, she heard the ice creaking and groaning, starting to give. Looking over at Faolan, she steadied her nerves and moved sharply, giving that one final pull. A loud crack sounded out, and they were both falling through the air on a flimsy block of ice. She moved her arms quickly in concentric circles, willing the black waters below to catch and buoy them. She heard the gentle sloshing of the water as it created a liquid slope as guided them down to the bay.

Looking back up at the top of the ice shelf, she smiled. "I can't believe that actually worked," she whispered softly.

Suddenly, she felt ice block lurch violently as Faolan stood up shakily.

"Faolan, stop!" Faolan froze in place, shooting her a look. "Okay, I get that you're mad, but at least we're still alive."

Faolan snorted and glared at her before turning his attention to the fading lights of the ship. Seeing this, Kiora gasped and instantly went into motion, creating a small wave. The sudden movement caused Faolan to slip on the wet ice beneath her, causing the whole block of ice to lurch again. Fixing him with an icy glare, she motioned for him to lie down. Faolan complied immediately and stretched himself across the ice. With Faolan laying down, it was much easier to control her makeshift raft as she used it to ride on the wave. Looking back out at Varrick's lights, she found them to be almost nonexistent. Using her frustration to fuel her bending, she generated a much larger wave, much to Faolan's dismay.

Faolan whinnied softly, his eyes stretched wide in fear as they were now moving at a much faster speed than before. Looking back towards the ship, Kiora saw the lights becoming larger, or in any case, closer. She grinned and almost whooped in joy as they slowly closed in on Varrick. Then, she noticed something was wrong. She frowned, her eyes narrowing. The lights seemed to becoming closer and much too fast. She knew she wasn't moving that quickly. She stopped her bending, and the wave beneath her disappeared.

The ship came closer, cutting through the water like a sword. Waves splashed up in its wake as it slowed its pace, coming to a gentle glide alongside Kiora. Swirling her hands, Kiora created a water spout beneath the ice float. Faolan whinnied as they both rose up into the air.

"I told you Zhu Li. I told you she would make it." Varrick sauntered up to the side of the ship, Zhu Li close behind. Kiora jumped onto the deck, followed closely by Faolan.

"And you told me that you'd be docked until the moon was at its peak. You broke your word." Kiora turned an icy glare on Varrick but it didn't even seem to faze him.

"I said I was going to be docked until the moon was high, and look at that, the moon is high." He grinned broadly at her stunned expression and continued, "Besides you're on my boat, so what are you complaining about?"

"You could have at least waited for me," Kiora protested, still irritated about being left.

"I did, and then, I left, end of story." Turning to walk away, he called behind him, "Come on, Zhu Li."

Kiora rolled her eyes and leaned heavily against the railing, looking back. The crispness of the night air stung her cheeks, and the air was heavy lade with salt. She smiled when Kiora whinnied softly, reaching over to scratch him under his chin. "We did it boy," she whispered, peering off into the consuming darkness that swept the South Pole out of her sight.

Faolan pushed his broad face against her shoulder startling Kiora. Faolan blinked slowly, suddenly looking very tired. Kiora laughed quietly at the raynder horse's weary expression, irritating Faolan. Snorting once, Faolan rammed into Kiora, sending her flying towards the door. All balance lost, Kiora stumbled forward into the door, flattening her palms against the cool metal as she fell against it. Turning the wheel, she leaned forward, the door creaking loudly as it swung open. Blinking slowly as she stepped through the entrance, she let her eyes adjust to the lighting.

The hallway ahead of her seemed to stretch on forever. Swallowing nervously, Kiora began her search for a sleeping quarters. Opening the first door, she saw that there was nothing inside, not even a light. The following rooms to be just as empty, except for the fact that a few of them did have an occasional desk or a broom. Naira whinnied softly, trying to get Kiora's attention. She rolled her eyes and reached out to open the next door.

"Hiya." Kiora spun around to meet the person behind her, only to find a girl younger than her. Her teal eyes sparkled slightly as she grinned wildly at Kiora.

"And you are?" The girl cocked her head to the side and looked up at the ceiling.

"Depends," she said dreamily, leaning backwards. Kiora only remained silent for a moment.

"On what?"

"Oh everything, I guess, but I can't seem to remember what." She hesitated, humming softly. "Oh, I know. It depends on where you're from." Kiora watched at her mutely, and the girl continued with her thought. "So where are you from?"

"I'm from the-" The girl waved her hands around wildly, trying to silence her.

"No, I don't want any hints." She furrowed her brow in concentration. "Oh, it just has to be the Water Tribe. Which one?"

Kiora watched mutely for a moment as the girl tried to think of the answer. "It's the Southern one."

"No way," she cried out, her face tinged pink in irritation. "I told you, no hints!"

Kiora looked startled. "Did you really not know where I was from?"

The girl shrugged lightly. "Nope. I can't really keep track of things down here." Her eyes became slightly unfocused as she seemed to retreat back inside herself.

Kiora sighed and snapped her fingers in front of the girl's face. She focused in on Kiora, a questioning look in her eyes. "Platypus, so how long have you been on this ship? Varrick told me that I would be the only passenger."

"Varrick," asked the girl.

"You know, the guy who owns this boat."

"Oh, so that's who runs this joint." She giggled quietly, her soft laughter echoing down the hallway. "Oh, and to answer your question, I've been down here for a few weeks, maybe more, you never can tell."

"A few weeks," Kiora exclaimed surprised. "Where exactly are you from?"

The girls lips jerked upwards at the corners, splitting her face with a soft smirk. "I can't go waving that kind of information around just yet."

Kiora paused, looking back at Faolan. The reynder horse paced forward hesitantly and pressed his face into the girl's waiting hands. Almost instantly, Kiora relaxed a little bit more. If Faolan was ok with this girl, then she had to be at least semi-trustworthy. She watched as the young girl's face light up as she raked her fingers through Faolan's thick fur. Her soft giggle filled through the room. Suddenly, her eyes clouded as a thought seemed to dart into her head. Her eyes flitted up to Kiora's face, and her hands paused at the base of Faolan's skull, causing Faolan to moan pitifully.

"You know, since you're stuck here, I might as well give you the grand tour." She started to back away and noticed Kiora still standing still, looking at her. "Come on now. We haven't got all night." Kiora glanced around hesitantly and began to trail behind her.


	3. Author's Note

**Hey Readers,**

**So I went back through my story, and I realized that it was a train wreck in the making. It was just not good, and there were just too many holes and loose ends. I apologize for the delay in fixing this story, but I had school and was working through a slight writer's block. I have now updated the prologue and the first chapter, and I hope to have a new chapter up after Spring Break. This is not a promise though; I do actually have school so I probably will remain inconsistent with my updates. **

**Syrcia**


	4. Chapter 3

**So I'm back with an update that is long overdue. Anyway, as usual I don't own anything except for the OC's. Hope you enjoy the chapter, and please tell me your thoughts on it with a review.**

*Three days later*

"Would you just stop squirming. I'll get you out of there." Kiora felt lightheaded, her face heating up."Get me...out," Kiora wheezed breathlessly, slowly running out of air. "

"Alright, Juju, let go of her." She strained against the snake's muscles, trying to loosen his grip. "Juju that's enough." She stumbled back as Juju finally released his hold on Kiora.

Kiora slumped forward, feeling the air pour back into her lungs. "Are you just trying to get me killed," she whispered hoarsely.

"Nope, I think you've got that covered all on your own." She smirked at Kiora's furiated expression and sauntered over to the door.

"Where are off to now," Kiora asked, leaning against the wall.

Donning an impish grin, the girl cast a brief glance back at her companion. "Now if told that, it wouldn't be a surprise."

"Well, then can you at least tell me your name?" Kiora watched as the girl spun around, her eyes sparkling mischievously.

"I told you that I don't go waving around that kind of information." Kiora raised her eyebrow, and the girl's eyes glazed over in thought. "We're not exactly friends yet, and you haven't even met Hiro." She started to open the door when Kiora pushed against the door, keeping it closed.

"No, no more friends until I get a name out of you."

"Which name," she whispered softly to herself. She tapped on the door.

"Your name," Kiora said exasperated. The girl looked at her for a moment and smiled tightly.

"You can call me Aiumi." She opened the door and grinned. "Come on."

They walked down the hallway silently, Aiumi creeping along the walls like a shadow. A door creaked open somewhere down the hall. I paused briefly and held my breath, my own heartbeat thudding in my ears as I listened closely. Voices sounded out, echoing down the length of hall. Seeming to notice that I had stopped, Aiumi spun back towards me. Her bright smile faded slowly when she heard the voices. Her face fell, and she looked over at me, seeming to already know my next words.

"I have to go." I heard Varrick's voice chime in suddenly, and I slowly backed away towards them.

Aiumi nodded slowly, the sadness weighing heavily on her as I turned to go. I felt her hand on my arm, and I glanced at her face. "You'll be back, won't you?"

"I'll try," she whispered softly, backing quickly towards the voices.

* * *

*Five Days Later*

"Sir, I don't think we're going the right way."

"Nonsense, we're always going the right way," Varrick protested sharply, yanking hard on the wheel.

The entire ship suddenly lurched to right, throwing everyone off balance. Blinking back the tears in her eyes, Kiora swallowed the bile in her throat and backed away from the bucket in front of her.

"Then someone explain to me why we have passed that same rock at least six times." Kiora glared over at Varrick. "We've been going in circles."

"I'll have you know that I levitated that boulder with my," Varrick paused, "mind."

Then, the rock came into view again, and everyone groaned. Varrick grinned.

"See I did it again!"

"Of course you did, sir," muttered Zhu Li, rolling her eyes at his antics.

The ship suddenly lurched again, and Kyra found herself hovering over the bucket again. _If only Aiumi were here, then I could get away from the crazies up here. _The strange girl had left three days before this, when they had last docked.

_"So where are you headed," Aiumi asked, jumping up to sit on the railing. It had been the first time Kiora had seen Aiumi above deck._

_"Republic City."_

_"Why?" Kiora glanced over at her. Aiumi's eyes sparkled with an intense curiosity._

_"Well I-I just want to," said Kiora, looking off._

_Aiumi leaned back, kicking her feet into the air. "Yeah, but why?"_

_"Why do want to know?" Kyra looked over at the girl questioningly._

_Aiumi smiled brightly. "Just asking, silly!" Suddenly she stopped, her mouth hanging open as she slid off the railing._

_"Aiumi," Kiora whispered in question, leaning forward._

_Aiumi turn back to her and saluted. "Well, here's my stop!" She placed one foot on the railing. "So you're headed to Republic City, right?"_

_Kiora narrowed her eyes in suspicion, unsure of what Aiumi was up to. "Yeah, why?"_

_"Cause I'm going to beat you there!" Aiumi grinned wickedly and leapt up into the air, plummeting down into the waters below her._

_Kiora lurched forward, leaning out over the rails as she searched the dark depths for Aiumi. At first, there was nothing. Then, bubbles decorated the water, and Aiumi's head bobbed to the surface. She spun around and smiled winningly as the boat pulled away._

_"See you in Republic City, Kiora," she called out, swinging her hands through the air as she waved good-bye._

_Kiora waved back and continued waving, until Aiumi had faded off into the distance._

"Hey, hey!"

Kiora blinked her eyes rapidly and noticed a giant hand waving in front of her face. Looking up at Varrick, she raised her eyebrows in question.

"You spaced out on us," Varrick said. "Oh and I need you to waterbend us out of a rock."

Kiora's eyes widened. "A rock? I'm not an earthbender."

"No, but you can levitate us away from the rock using the power of water bending."

Kiora rolled her eyes and stood up slowly, groaning. _Here we go again._

* * *

*Seven days later*

Storm clouds raged over, lightning dancing in their midst as Kiora stepped off the ramp. She closed her eyes slightly as the sound of crashing waves roared in her ears. The wind swept her braids around, bringing them up near her face. Kiora smiled and began to walk onward.

"Kiora!" Kiora turned around to see Varrick leaning over the edge of the railing. "You forgot your Moose-thingy!"

Faolan snorted indignantly and took to glaring at Varrick. Kiora laughed quietly at the stunned look on his face when he realized that Faolan actually understood him.

"He's a Raynder Horse, and she really doesn't like being called a thingy," she called up to Varrick, cupping her hand around her mouth.

Varrcik looked over at the Raynder Horse. "Yeah, no kidding," he muttered, backing up slowly as Faolan advanced on him. "Zhu Li!"

"Yes sir," the woman said tonelessly, seeming to appear out of nowhere.

"Zhu Li, do the thing," he ordered, pointing over at Faolan.

Zhu Li sighed heavily as she looked over at Faolan's massive form. "Yes sir."

Kiora waved up at Zhu Li, catching the older woman's attention. "It's alright, Zhu Li, I've got this covered."

Taking a deep breath, Kiora began to move her arms around. The water below immediately responded, freezing over and lifting up as the water beneath the ice pushed it up. She moved slower, trying to keep the ice float as stable as possible.

"Ready boy?" The Raynder Horse backed away, whinnying fearfully. "It's alright, Faolan. I've got you."

Faolan seemed to shake before surging forward, vaulting himself into the air. Kiora's heart stopped when she realized that Faolan had jumped out too far. Gritting her teeth, she moved quickly and willing the water to follow her hands. She heard Faolan cry out in fear as she plummeted through the air. Getting the ice float in position, Kiora squeezed her eyes shut. _Thump! _Forcing her lids to part, Kiora breathed a sigh of relief when she saw her friend on top of the ice. Faolan glared at her and let out a huff.

"What? It's not my fault. You overshot your jump." Kiora head a snort. "Yeah, well I could just drop you."

"Is it safe to look now?" Varrick was standing with his hands covering his eyes.

"Yes sir. She has her pet all safe and sound." Zhu Li looked like she about to roll her eyes at her boss's behavior.

"Wow! You levitated a Moose-thingy!' Turning back to Zhu Li, he said, "You know, I can levitate things too."

"Of course you can sir."

Kiora snickered at the thought of seeing Varrick levitate, his limbs flailing around as he tried to swim through the air.

"See you later, Varrick," Kiora shouted, waving her hand to the man.

"Bye, Kiora. Remember our deal." Then, flashing a winning smile, he turned and disappeared from view.

She grimaced slightly. _Someday, I'll have to repay him, whether I like it or not. _Shaking her head, she glanced over at Faolan, who nodded to the city that lay ahead of them. Kiora smiled excitedly and leapt onto Faolan's back. _Here we come Republic City._


	5. Chapter 4

**I ,sadly, still don't own the Avatar Universe. So this is the chapter I have for you. I know it's probably long overdue, but honestly with school, summer jobs, and no internet connection during the summer, I'm hoping that you guys will forgive me just this once. **

**For the opening scene, please remember Korra's entrance to the Republic City(with the docks and Aang's statue) and picture Kiora making that same jaunt. After that, you'll just have to fumble alongside Kiora.**

Kiora's heart raced as she gazed out over the water at the bridge and the waiting metropolis. She watched as the misty fog swirled just above the water's surface. It danced among the buildings, shrouding them all in a wispy white veil. Then, by the light of the setting sun, she could see a figure that seemed to jut out of the water. Republic City's own silent guardian stood poised, staff in hand, overlooking the bustling metropolis. Kiora's eyes widened in awe as she studied the statue's serene features. She had seen pictures of Aang from when Katara would talk about their adventures together, but to see his likeness in person was another thing entirely.

Faolan shifted slowly beneath her, drawing her back to the real world. _Right, now's not the time for daydreaming. _Gripping the reins, Kiora guided Faolan to the city. Horns blared loudly, and it seemed that everywhere she looked, there was a Satomobile. Multitudes of them poured out every street, clustered together as they bustled to and fro. Never before had Kiora seen so many Satomobiles. And then there were the people, of seemingly every nationality. Greens and browns, red and golds, different shades of blue. She smiled broadly as she took it all in.

"We did it boy," she whispered amazed. "We're finally here."

Faolan snorted loudly, obviously impatient.

"What," she asked.

And, as he jerked on his reins, he started trotting off into the crowd. He almost seemed to know where he was headed as he weaved amongst the throngs of people gathered on the sidewalk. Not knowing exactly what to do, Kiora just relaxed into the saddle. She thought about the city and began comparing it to her home, the South Pole. It was so different from what she had known before. It felt weird, the way her skin tingled beneath the sun's brilliant rays and the way the gentle breeze ruffled her hair just so. The sounds that echoed in her ears were almost deafening compared to the silence and the soft murmuring she was used to. She grinned warmly as she thought about how new this all was.

Suddenly, she saw stars as Faolan swung his head back, his antlers connecting with her skull. The vibrations rolled in waves through her head as she reeled back from the impact. Pain flashed like lightning through her cranium before subsiding to a dull throbbing that seemed to coincide with her every breath. Kiora groaned in anguish, squeezing her eyelids against the throbbing. Faolan snorted impatiently, shaking his head violently.

"What," she snapped, digging her fingers into her temples.

Even with her eyes closed, Kiora could feel him stomp and hear the harsh scraping sound his hoof made as it slapped against the pavement. His muscles tensed with each time he raised his leg to stomp again. Obviously, he was impatient, that much she could tell. _But why?_ Finally, against every fiber in her body, she cracked her eyelids open slowly.

Faolan snorted in frustration, glancing back at her. Then, he whipped his head back around and looked down both ends of the street. Kiora's eyes widened slowly as it dawned on her. _Which way? _

Thinking back, she could remember Aiumi telling her where she should go when she arrives. _But where?_

_"Seriously?" _

_Aiumi flashed a quick smirk before seeming to retreat into herself. "Of course silly. Why wouldn't I be serious about that."_

_"But why? Why would you even do that," she cried out. "You don't even know me."_

_"Well, your name's Kiora, and you're from the South Pole. You're 29 years old and apparently a master waterbender. Your best friend just so happens to be a raynder horse named Faolan." Aiumi's brow creased in concentration. "Have I left anything out, besides what you haven't told me?"_

_Kiora stopped for a moment, repeatedly opening and closing her mouth before settling with a mumbled 'No.' _

_"Great!" Aiumi grinned. "Well, I guess you're not a complete stranger, now are ya?"_

_"I guess not, but I still don't know you to well."_

_"That's exactly why you should crash at my place for awhile. You'd get a place to stay, and we'd both get to know each other better."_

_"But what about rent," Kiora protested._

_"Do you have a job?"_

_"No."_

_"Do you have enough to even think about paying me for lodging?"_

_"I think-"_

_Aiumi cut her off. "Just go ahead and say no, because I know for a fact that you don't."_

_"Fine."_

_"Don't worry about it," she cried out, giving Kiora a playful shove. "Just think of it as a community favor. You're doing the community of Aiumi a HUGE favor."_

_Kiora let out a resigned sigh. "Where would I even meet you? I don't exactly know my way around Republic City."_

_Rolling her eyes, Aiumi said, "Just go to the Police Headquarters. I'm sure either Sun-Hi or Uncle Shen will be up there."_

_"Who are they?" _

_"Sun-Hi is my cousin. She's a little taller than me and has short, choppy black hair and green eyes. Her favorite response is 'Whatever'."_

_"And your Uncle Shen?"_

_"Well, obviously he's my uncle, hence Uncle Shen. He's taller than me and has silver hair with green eyes. Oh, and he's also a metalbending police officer so he'll definitely help you. Just try not to look suspicious and you'll be fine."_

_Kiora just sat there, trying to absorb all this information._

_"Just tell you know me, and they'll know what to do. Okay?" Her face seemed to light up as she smiled brightly at Kiora._

_Kiora couldn't help but smile back. "Sure."_

"Hey stranger," a cheery voice called out softly.

Kiora's head jerked up sharply, her eyes immediately combing the darkness. She hadn't even realized it had gotten dark so fast. _Where am I? _She squeezed her eyes shut before opening them again, allowing her eyes to adjust to the dim light. She almost forgot that there was a stranger out there.

"Hey," the voice called out again, a little louder than before. "A little lost aren't ya newcomer?"

"A little," Kiora admitted sheepishly as she stared at her surroundings.

Then, she saw him, slowly creeping out of the shadow of a bush. In the lighting, he seemed to be almost like a phantom to her eyes. His shape blended into his surroundings. _Kinda creepy._

"Do you have anywhere to stay tonight?"

Kiora's eyes widened at the random question, and she sat up straighter in the saddle. "What?"

She could practically feel the warmth of his unseen smile through the night air. "If you have nowhere to stay for the night, I would be more than happy to accommodate you."

"Why?" Her eyes glittered with confusion as she processed his offer.

The man suddenly burst out laughing, catching Kiora off guard. "No one wanders around the park at night without some reason, and you don't seem to have a reason. It only makes sense that you wouldn't have anywhere to stay."

"But, I do have a place to stay," she protested quickly.

"Really?" Gommu looked surprised.

"Yeah, I'm staying with a friend." She paused. "I just just have to meet her somewhere."

"Where's the meeting place? I can probably give you directions."

"It's the Police Headquarters. Apparently either her uncle or cousin will meet me there." She heard Gommu snicker off to her side. "What?"

Stifling the rest of his laughter, he smiled warmly and said, "I think you might just need to come with me. You don't want to be traveling that way at this hour."

"Ok?" Now Kiora was thoroughly confused. Why wouldn't she want to travel now?

"Follow me newcomer." He turned on his heel and began to walk away.

"It's Kiora," she said quickly as she followed him to a large bush. "And behind me is Faolan."

"Well, Kiora, Faolan, pleasure to meet you. My name is Gommu."

He turned to face them, and that's when Kiora got a good look at his features. He was fair skinned with steely grey hair and beard. His eyes and mouth were crinkled up the corners, showing that he smiled often. His clothes weren't in the greatest condition, an obvious sign that he was homeless. Though Gommu seemed like a nice man so far, at least from what she could tell, she couldn't help but doubt his promise of lodging. It just didn't make sense._ What shelter could he offer her if he himself was homeless?_

"How," she asked softly, catching Gommu's attention. She swallowed the lump in her throat before continuing. "How do you plan on providing me with shelter if you yourself are in need of lodging."

What he did next shocked her. He smiled.

"Follow me," he said diving into the bush.

Kiora moved closer and plunged her hands into the very spot where Gommu disappeared. He wasn't there. Pushing the branches away, she noticed a hole directly beneath the bush. She crinkled her nose slightly in distaste but, nonetheless leapt in the inky void.

Dark was the only word that came to her mind as her body collapsed onto the floor of the hole. Beyond the entrance, where only a few threads of light penetrated, there was only an inky black void that seemed encroach in on her. Taking a deep breath, Kiora rested back on her heels and let her eyes once again adjust. After only a few minutes, she could make out the sides of the dirt cave. She could see multiple indentions on the floor and the bush's root that hung down from above. Though it wasn't what she was used to and by no means be called a home, it was almost homey. _Almost. _

"Here," Gommu whispered, handing her a blanket.

She took it, reluctantly, and smiled at his generosity. The fabric was extremely thin, but it would be enough for tonight.

"Goodnight, Kiora," he murmured before laying down.

"Nite Gommu," Kiora replied. Then, looking up at the entrance, she caught sight of Faolan staring down at her and smiled. "Goodnight, Faolan."

Kiora stretched out, spreading then thin blanket out over her body. Then, leaning back, she could feel the earth shifting, giving way to her body as she settled into its embrace. And, as her eyelids collapsed over her weary eyes, she couldn't help but have hope for tomorrow.

**So I hope you enjoyed this chapter, and please share your thoughts with a review. Please give constructive criticism is I need it or if you think that's what you want me to hear. Also, please, PLEASE, no mindless 'thumbs up' or 'I loved this chapter.' I'd love to interact and actually get some genuine feedback from you.**

**Always,**

**Syrcia**


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